I’ve always dreamt of throwing a dinner party.  According the Cal and Janice of Beacon Hill’s Elegant Findings antique china shop, it’s in my future.  They also predict that I’ll be married in 2 years, which sounds unlikely. 

Regardless, my graduation marked the perfect occasion for my ultimate epic dinner party.  I invited some of my closest Tufts friends, consulted many blogs for recipes, and crafted a melodious playlist for a farewell night.

WHAT WAS ON THE MENU?

After good company, good food is a crucial aspect of any gathering.  Luckily, my very talented friend, Ari, pitched in to help in more ways than one.  If you’re ever doubting your compatability with someone, cooking together is a telling test – and as we’ve established before, we make a stellar team.  Just like any meal, a balance of carbs, protein, and fats in a party menu are essential for me.  

As a tapas and mezze lover, the spread began with focaccia (a foundational base), regular hummus with za’atar and EVOO, and roasted pepper hummus with harissa.  Hummus was there for some delicious protein.  Moving along the island sat a bowl of jammy, roasted brussel sprouts (we need some fiber somewhere) and a zingy toss of arugula, radicchio, thinly sliced fennel, chopped roasted almonds, lightly pan fried za’atar chickpeas, and a slightly sweet and mustardy vinaigrette.  I squeezed in some baked chicken nuggets for two of my friends, for nostalgic reasons.  One of the show stoppers was Ottolenghi’s sesame encrusted feta fritters, which had a delightful crunch from its sesame shell, with a slightly melty and meaty feta center. 

A week prior, I had gone to Moona, a middle eastern restaurant in Cambridge, where I had one of my top favorite dishes in Boston: hasselback sweet potato with maple tahini and Urfa pepper.  Without much tahini left, I ended up adding a touch of roasted almond butter, which provided a nuttier, toasty depth.  Urfa, purchased from a local Armenian grocery store, makes a difference here; unlike black pepper, it has a more smoky, raisin-like flavor.  

• Focaccia (V)
  • Additional version: Add tomato sauce and bake. Add caramelized onions and bake for last 10 minutes.
• Ithaca red pepper hummus with harissa (GF + V)
• Ithaca regular hummus with za’atar and EVOO (GF + V)
• Roasted Brussel sprouts (GF + V)
• Salad (GF + V)
  • Mix arugula, thinly sliced radicchio, and thinly sliced fennel. Chop toasted almonds.
  • In a jar, shake 2/3 white wine vinegar and lemon juice, 1/3 olive oil, 2 tsp mustard, 2 tsp maple syrup, and black pepper. Add to salad and mix.
  • Put olive oil on pan and pan fry chickpeas for 5 mins, adding some za’atar towards the end. Add the chickpeas in the salad.
• Sesame encrusted feta (GF)
• Hasselback sweet potatoes with maple tahini and Urfa pepper (GF + V)
  • Follow this recipe for the hasselback technique.
  • For the maple tahini, mix 1/3 cup smooth tahini, 2 tbsp roasted smooth almond butter, 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, pinch salt, thin out to desired consistency with cold water. Once sweet potatoes are out of oven, pour the maple tahini on top and top with a dusting of urfa pepper.
• Bell and Evans chicken (DF)

The beverages I provided make me laugh.  One of my friends is a fan of lemonade, so naturally, that had to be present.  Thinking that some may be inclined to a sip of alcohol, rose and limoncello (an alcoholic Italian lemonade, if you will) were options.  But when it came to finishing our meal, the alcohol was untouched, and instead, everyone wanted in on my tea ritual.  Whenever I have friends over, we conclude our meal with conversations and tea on the couch.  As a tea curator and librarian, I would say it’s important to always have both herbal, digestive teas (peppermint, lemon ginger) and decaffeinated gourmet teas (earl grey, black tea with vanilla) post-dinner.  Why?  The herbal teas pair well with those looking to officially complete their meal or for those who prefer to nibble on fruit.  On the other hand, the more intense teas marry well with those continuing on the dessert-ed path.

• Rosé
• Limoncello
• Teas
  • Lemon and Ginger
  • Peppermint
  • Pukka organic teas
• Decaf Gourmet
  • Black tea with vanilla
  • Earl Grey

That brings us to sweets!  One of my friends brought a fruit salad which was a genius addition to baked goods – and made me remember that nature’s sugar is a must at events.  With limited pantry ingredients, I turned toward a gluten-free, dairy-free walnut chocolate chip cookie.  Ari created world peace with Doris Greenspan’s World Peace cookie recipe, which he baked with Guittard cocoa powder … absolutely divine.  He also provided some of his grandmother’s peppermint bark.  When it comes to desserts at a larger casual gathering, I think the perfect array includes fruit, handheld individual baked goods, and a candy-type of concoction. 

• Walnut chocolate chip cookies (GF + DF)
• World Peace cookies

As for munchy snacks, I find Boom Chicka Pop’s popcorn and Cape Cod’s kettle cooked chips to be staples and crowd pleasers. 

THE PLAYLIST

When it comes to music, I’m quite eclectic.  My liked songs can range from the Mamas and Papas to Usher. With this in mind, my dinner playlist was no different, a symphony of international languages and time periods, with a sprinkle of classic holiday tunes.  Here is the link to my Spotify list.  Give it a listen!

THE FAVORS

At the end, I had one rule: everyone must go home with a goodie bag of food.  For this, make sure to collect takeout containers in advance or ask people to bring their own Tupperware!  Secondly, since art is one of the ways I express myself, my goodbye favors had to encompass it.  For each friend, I made a mini card and drew something relevant to our friendship.  As an example, my friend Peri and I bonded through studying biochemistry together, inventing puns and stories to remember pathways and mechanisms: an enzyme pun therefore seemed fitting!  I made each friend guess which card pertained to them.  Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a “good” artist, I encourage you to try it out!  At the end of the day, it makes people feel special and there is only good in that.  Lastly, I had some festive teas from Palais de The that I asked each friend to choose to bring home. 

This party was such a beautiful and gratifying way of celebrating the people I’ve met and grown alongside.  When it’s your time to host, let that personal, story-telling, and loving celebration spirit come through everything you do.  Do not fret about people getting along – kind people connect over that very trait.  Prepare, ask for help (thanks again, Ari!), and finally, hug the moment!  I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire experience … Cal and Janice might be on to something.